PREVIEW: Irish Open

FANTASY GOLF is going green as the Irish Open kick’s off the European leg of our summer competition.

FOR the next four weeks our attentions turn to the European Tour with the BMW PGA Championship, Celtic Manor Wales Open and the Austrian Open all to follow as we build up to the season’s second Major, The US Open.

But before then a winner must be found at Adare Manor and you wouldn’t bet against it being a back-to-back Irish winner. Padraig Harrington ended a 25-year wait for a home champion but the next could be closer than you think.

Hennie Otto’s victory at last week’s Italian Open ended a three-week winning streak for the Irish after Damien McGrane, Darren Clarke and Peter Lawrie all bagged themselves a title, adding to the success that was started by Graeme McDowell at the Ballentine’s Championship back in March.

The latter already features in our list of available players, but McGrane, Clarke and Lawrie will be available as wildcards as well as another fast improving Irishman in Rory McIlroy.

Defending champion Harrington will also have a say following one of the biggest victories of his career.

And on that win he said: “As it turned out The Irish Open victory meant more than even I realised at the time. I always found it very difficult to handle the pressure, the distractions and the general hype of an Irish Open. Years of that building up, the fact that no Irishman had won it in 25 years, the media hype going into the event and then to actually finally win the tournament was ever so big for me.

“I don’t think I would have ever felt as if I had had a true career unless I had gone on to win The Irish Open. It was a relief but overall there was a sense of euphoria to go on and win it.”

There are plenty of other big European’s out to spoil the party including Lee Westwood, Colin Montgomerie and in form Robert Karlsson.

A number of wildcards have also been added to the field this week including Paul McGinley, Oliver Wilson, Johan Edfors and David Howell.

Players to have entered this week:

Pool A
Padraig Harrington
Lee Westwood
Darren Clarke
Paul McGinley
Oliver Wilson

Pool B
Martin Kaymer
Robert Karlsson
Rory McIlroy
Johan Edfors
David Howell

Pool C
Richard Green
Peter Hanson
Bradley Dredge
Damien McGrane
Peter Lawrie

Pool D
Colin Montgomerie
Charl Schwartzel
Soren Kjeldsen
Simon Dyson
Mikko Ilonen

Pool E
Louis Oosthuizen
Jyoti Randhawa
Jeev Milkha Singh
James Kingston
Graeme McDowell
Ross Fisher
Ross McGowan
Joost Luiten